Dear colleagues,

Most of you know would know me in my capacity as the Director of the Syrian Legal Development Programme, which I still am. However, I am getting in touch with you today in different, albeit complementing, capacity.

Upon being called to the English Bar, I have joined Guernica 37, International Justice Chambers to begin my practising journey in the UK.  

In that capacity, please find attached a press release in English and Arabic detailing the filing today by the Guernica Centre for International Justice with the ICC Prosecutor concerning the request to open a preliminary examination into the forced deportation of Syrian civilians into Jordan. As you will note from the press release whilst Syria is not a State Party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, Jordan is, and following the recent decision by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber in the Situation in Myanmar concerning the forced displaced of the Rohingya, the ICC now has jurisdiction to investigate the crime of Forced Displacement, Persecution and other Inhumane Acts. I am proud of being part of the drafting and investigation team at Guernica that made this paper possible, being lead of course by my heard of Chambers Toby Cadman.